Amnesty Raps Rihanna, Shakira

It came in an open letter from the organisation’s UK wing and told them “in no uncertain terms” to open their eyes to the plethora of human rights abuses inflicted on the people of Azerbaijan before performing in the country’s capital at the end of the month.

A local human rights organisation called Azerbaijani Sing For Democracy has also criticised their appearances at the new Crystal Hall, the 25,000-seater completed just in time for this year’s “Eurovision Song Contest.”

The two singers are appearing in Baku during the current FIFA U-17 Women’s soccer World Cup.

Amnesty, which has a representative in Baku during the lead-up to the “Eurovision” final May 26, has urged the Azerbaijani authorities to address the country’s poor human rights record and allow critical voices to be heard without restriction throughout the country.

The small country at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe caught so much flak over its staging of the contest that it became an embarrassment for the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the annual competition.

The leaders of the small, oil-rich nation had hoped to use the annual song contest to showcase its progress in the two decades since it won independence from the Soviet Union.

The public letter to Rihanna and Shakira highlights the ban on anti-government protests in the centre of Baku, the unsolved killing of reporter Elmar Huseynov in 2005 and the multiple arrests and persecution of journalists, bloggers and political activists.

“Both singers should be aware of the situation in the country post-Eurovision,” it says. “This includes the spurious criminal case against photo-journalist Mehman Huseynov on trumped-up hooliganism charges.”

Huseynov had actively been involved in human rights campaign conducted ahead of the Eurovision 2012 Song Contest. If convicted Mehman faces five years in jail.

In a separate case, a singer arrested at a peaceful protest by young people on March 2012, had to leave the country because of ongoing harassment.

The letter also says: “Amnesty International believes that the Azerbaijani government should afford all artists, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens the right to express themselves freely without fear of reprisal. We hope that you share our belief.”